Iran drone attack causes fire at UAE oil hub, Fujairah port halts loading – Bloomberg

Iran launched a drone attack targeting oil storage facilities in the United Arab Emirates, forcing a temporary suspension of oil loading operations at a major regional energy hub.

According to people familiar with the matter, a key Middle East trading hub in the UAE suspended all oil loading after a drone attack and fire on Saturday morning, Ukrinform reports, citing Bloomberg.

Loading of crude and refined products at Fujairah, just outside the Strait of Hormuz, was halted as a precaution while damage is being assessed.

A drone was intercepted in the area and damage from the falling debris caused the fire, Fujairah's media office said in a statement. There were no reported injuries and the statement did not provide specifics on the location.

The attacks come after U.S. forces hit military sites on Iran's Kharg Island, vital to the country's oil exports. Tehran said in response that any strike on oil and energy infrastructure would trigger attacks on U.S.-linked energy facilities in the region.

Fujairah is an important trading hub for crude and refined products. Nestled along the UAE's eastern coast between the Gulf of Oman and the Hajar Mountains, it provides shippers with access to the open sea and avoids the chokepoint at the Strait of Hormuz.

The port is one of the few terminals in the region that continues to export oil.

Earlier reports said that on February 28, the United States and Israel carried out joint strikes on facilities belonging to the Iranian regime. Iran later launched attacks on U.S. bases in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and the UAE.

Photo: freepik